


Reggie, Luke, and Alex- Freshman Year

by matteahayn



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: 90s timeline, Canon Compliant, Freshman Year, Gen, alex has confusing feelings for luke, anxious reggie, band origin story, band room shenanigans, luke has a learning disability, sunset curve backstory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:29:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/matteahayn/pseuds/matteahayn
Summary: The origin of Sunset Curve set in the 90s as I see it, based on the background given in Season 1 of Julie and the Phantoms.This started as an idea for a Three Season spin-off series, so there will hopefully be three fics for three years, each with 9 parts like episodes.This first fic follows their freshman year, starting on their first day of high school and leading up to a talent show.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	1. A New Start

Reggie didn’t think his first day of high school could’ve gone worse. It started with him almost being late because his parents were ignoring him as usual and he had to take his younger sister to middle school. His mom and dad had never really been happy, but their fighting had gotten much worse over the summer. They both decided they’d rather stay at work all day than be there for their family.   
It wasn’t like Reggie expected to have a ton of friends in his classes (he had never been super popular) but he hadn’t planned to eat lunch with the librarian. He had taken one step into the lunchroom and immediately turned around. The high school was so much bigger and overwhelming than the middle school, and his anxiety had almost been at a breaking point all day. He had time though now that class was over, and he knew the one thing that always calmed him down.   
The morning announcements had said that the band room was open for an hour after school, and Reggie’s ear had perked up then. It had been the only thing that had been keeping him going all day. Even though the door was wide open, he still stepped in hesitantly. A curly red-haired woman was leaned over the instruments, her back to him.   
“Hey,” he breathed quietly. “Is it okay if I hang out here?”   
“Yes! Welcome,” said the music teacher, turning around and greeting him with a smile. Reggie’s shoulders relaxed slightly and he nodded.   
“I.. uh... Don’t have my guitar,” he admitted, seeing an immediate flaw in his plan. “I just, uh, thought it might make me feel better if I could just be here.” He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth, realizing how stupid they sounded. The woman only laughed kindly, pushing her thick-framed clear glasses back up on her nose.   
“That’s okay,” she told him. Reggie tilted his head in confusion. “You can borrow one if you want, just make sure to fill out the sign-up sheet.” She gestured towards a clipboard sitting on the music stand near the door.   
“Really?” Reggie gasped in surprise.   
“Yes, of course,” she smiled, her eyes crinkling on her young smooth face. “I love to see kids being able to play.” After a pause, she asked, “What’s your name dear?”   
“Uh, Reggie,” he gulped.   
“I’m Miss Bills,” she introduced herself. “I’m going to go to my office to get stuff done, I’ll be back in an hour to lock up. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you need something though, Okay?” Reggie just nodded, a little flustered by her kindness. She turned to walk away, but before she went out the door she stopped. “Oh, and Reggie?” He turned back around to face her. “Welcome to the music program.”   
Reggie couldn’t hide his smile as he stepped to the clipboard and grabbed the pen to sign his name. By the time he was done though, he felt a presence behind him.   
“Hey, uh, can I join you?” mumbled a deep male voice. Reggie turned around to see a slightly taller boy with dark curly hair and green eyes in a dark graphic tee with rolled-up sleeves.   
“Luke?” he gasped, taking a slight step back into the music stand.   
“Reggie?” Luke blinked, a grin slowly overtaking his face. 

Reggie was the last person Luke expected to see here. He wasn’t exactly a quiet kid, and he was funny, but always seemed to hang back. They had actually been friends in elementary school and had hung out in the same crowds in middle school, but Luke didn’t know him super well. At least, not well enough to know that he played guitar, according to the sign-up sheet.   
“You any good?” Luke asked, trying to break the awkward silence.   
“What?” Reggie looked up at him in confusion, finally unfreezing. He smoothed out his crumpled red t-shirt, obviously self-conscious.   
“Are you any good at the guitar?” Luke clarified, unslinging his guitar case from his back and setting it on the ground to unzip it.   
“Oh, uh, I don’t know,” the shorter boy laughed nervously. He crossed over to one of the chairs at the edge of the pit and set his backpack down. “I mostly just came to let off some steam.” Luke looked up in surprise at this.   
“Me too,” he breathed. Honestly, today had been the worst first day yet. He was going to have to try extra hard now that he was in high school to overcome his ADHD and do well in his classes like his parents wanted. They expected him to be some sort of doctor or teacher or something as their only son and first to go to college, but all Luke wanted was to write music. Talk about being the family disappointment. He had spent lunch today in the principal’s office making a behavior plan to keep him on the “right track”. He had made some decisions that he wasn’t proud of, been a troublemaker and slacker. This was a new year though, and a new school and Luke was determined that it would be different. He would be able to use the band room to play after all, so it was already much better.   
Reggie looked up at him but didn’t say anything, just smiled sympathetically. “We could play together and I could show you if I’m good?” he suggested. “I mean, only if you want,” he added quickly, and Luke laughed. He went to respond but was interrupted by the sound of the heavy door opening and closing. A tall blond boy in a gray sweatshirt and thick glasses strolled in with his hands in his pockets but stopped in his tracks when he saw them.   
“Oh, uh, hi,” he mumbled, his face going slightly red when Luke and Reggie turned to him. “Were you using the room?” he gulped.   
“Well, we were just about to play,” Luke smiled and stepped towards him, “but you can join us if you want….Uh?” He paused to get the boy’s name.   
“Alex,” he nodded. A strand of his blond hair fell into his face.   
“I’m Luke,” the guitarist replied, extending his hand to shake the newcomer’s. “What instrument do you play Alex?” he asked, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder.   
“Drums,” Alex said shyly. Luke broke out into a grin.   
“That’s perfect!” he beamed, throwing his hands up in the air and stepping back. “I have my guitar, and Reggie’s on bass.”   
“I am?” the other boy whipped around, his eyebrows crinkling in confusion.   
“Sure you are,” Luke smiled wickedly. Reggie just shrugged and shook his head. He walked over to the instrument and picked it up to study it like it was completely foreign. “Excellent, we have enough for a band!” Luke jogged over to the speaker, grabbing his guitar on the way.   
“I’m, uh, not sure about this,” Alex mumbled.   
“Aww, c’mon, it’ll be fun,” Luke begged. He turned away from plugging into his speakers to give Alex a charming look the drummer couldn’t resist.   
“Fine,” Alex sighed. He pulled his sticks out of his pocket and held them in his hands dejectedly.   
“Alright man,” Luke whooped with glee, running back down to Alex and wrapping his arm around his shoulder. “I have a song I’ve been working on. Do you guys know how to sight-read?” he asked as they made their way up to the drumset.   
“I do,” piped in Reggie, positioning himself behind a mic.   
“I can try,” Alex agreed, his face growing white.  
“Excellent.” Luke’s eyes gleamed as he handed them each a sheet of messy, scribbled out paper. How could this possibly go wrong? 

The last place Alex had expected to be after his first day of high school was jamming out with Luke Patterson. Alex had known him since middle school and thought he was so cool. Luke, of course, hadn’t even known Alex had existed until now. His skin still felt hot from where the curly dark-haired boy had touched him.   
Alex had planned to try to fly under the radar this year, not catch the attention of one of the most popular guys in school. He honestly couldn’t believe how fast Luke and Reggie had taken him under their wing. They treated him like he was one of them immediately. He was used to being too weird, too sensitive to have any friends. His parents and older brothers had told him that since he said he wanted to do ballet when he was 4.   
Drumming was something he and his parents had actually agreed on. He had never done sports, or worked on cars, or any of the traditionally masculine things his brothers had done, but music had always made him feel alive. It was his way of expressing his feelings when he couldn’t use words. He would never admit it, but he had written his own music too, so yeah, he could sight-read pretty well.   
Luke counted them in, and as soon as they started playing Alex was transported to another world. He wasn’t used to having back-up, and he was astonished at how full the sound was. Luke’s song was good, like really good for a 14-year-old. It was about feeling like a disappointment, which Alex related to a little too much. Luke’s voice shook with emotion, and Alex tried not to shrink away in fear of intimacy. He nodded along as he concentrated on keeping the beat. The upbeat melody began to drown out the sorrowful words. The other boys could play super well too, especially Reggie, the short dark-haired goofball who had obviously never picked up a bass before. Their sound just… clicked.   
The song ended on a high note. They all released their breath in exhilaration, letting their arms drop to their sides. They all looked at each other in amazement, pleasantly surprised at how it had come together. Alex was about to say something about the crazy chances of them all meeting there today when the door slammed open again and someone came hustling in. A woman with bushy red hair, clear glasses, and baggy clothes stood in the front of the room, her hands on her hips.   
“Reggie!” she exclaimed. “I didn’t know you had a band!” All three of the boys looked at each other in confusion.   
“I don’t,” Reggie said, scrunching his face together. The woman’s face fell in disappointment.   
“We just met. We were just having a little impromptu jam sesh,” Luke explained. Her face looked frazzled as she tried to process this information.   
“You mean to tell me you just all happened to meet up today?” she clarified suspiciously.   
“Yeah, pretty much,” Alex replied loudly, surprising even himself. He shrank back when all the eyes turned to him, nervously pushing a stray strand of blond hair out of his face.  
“Well,” the lady, who must’ve been the music teacher, sighed, “Y’all should consider making this regular thing. I think you’ve really got something here.”   
“Really?” Luke leaned forward excitedly. Alex and Reggie looked at each other with overwhelmed apprehension. Were they really good enough to form a band?   
“Yes! There’s a talent show in a month. You guys should sign up. I think you have a real chance of winning!” She smiled at them all before turning and leaving the room.   
The boys looked at each other with gaped mouths, realizing that this could be the start of something completely life-changing for all of them.


	2. Pizza Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the second day of school, and none of the boys can stop thinking about their jam session the previous day. They meet at lunch because Luke can't wait until after school to convince them of his idea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shoutout to the "White Mens Whores" group chat for coming up with the name Kayla and the nickname Kayak on accident lmao.

Reggie had stayed up all night thinking about what Miss Bills had said. The high he rode from that session had carried him through another silent dinner. Playing his heart out like that was the best feeling in the world. Luke seemed to bring out the best of them (Reggie would’ve never thought to pick up the bass, but he really liked it). Being around the boys made him feel steady and grounded.   
Performing in front of the entire school was a completely different battlefield though. He had never told anyone, but he had terrible stage fright. Ever since he had had a panic attack during a presentation in seventh-grade history class, the idea of standing in front of a crowd made him freeze up. Something told him Luke wasn’t going to let this go, though.   
“Bye guys,” he called to his parents as he went to leave for the day.   
“Bye,” his dad called from his office.   
“I’m gonna hang out in the music room after school,” he added, slinging on his navy blue backpack.   
“Yeah, sure, okay, have fun,” his mom called absently from the kitchen without even looking up from the dishes. Reggie sighed and shook his head. He could’ve told them he was going to the moon and he would’ve gotten the same response. He twisted open the front handle and stepped out onto the front porch. The smell of the ocean breeze assaulted his nostrils as he closed the door behind him. His sister Kayla followed him as he dug his way across the sand. He loved living on the beach most of the time, but he was sweating on this hot September California morning in his leather jacket.   
“Hey, Kayla,” he said. She looked up at him with big brown eyes. “Do you think you’d be okay to walk home by yourself after school?”   
“Yes!” she replied without missing a beat, bouncing up and down in her bright purple converse. Reggie figured that was the case. Kayla was becoming more and more independent and hated that their parents made Reggie walk with her every day. He would’ve felt worse about breaking their only rule if he thought they would even notice. Suddenly, she halted as if realizing something. “Wait, where are you going to be?” Reggie stopped for a minute and debated how much to tell her.   
“I’m meeting up with Luke and Alex to play some songs,” he explained, taking her hand to get her to keep walking.   
“So you’re like, in a band?” she asked. Reggie felt his chest hitch.   
“Not exactly…” he admitted, looking down at the ground. “We were kinda just messing around but the music teacher told us we should sign up for the talent show.”   
“Reggie, that’s awesome!” she squealed. Her light brown hair flung everywhere as she did a little dance.   
“Wait, Kayak,” he breathed, using the family nickname from when his parents used to laugh. He put his hand on her shoulder to calm her down. “I don’t know if I’m going to join,” he sighed. A look of confusion, hurt, and disappointment crossed his sister’s face.   
“Why not?” she asked, her hand going immediately to her hip.   
“I, uh, don’t even know if we’d be any good,” he stumbled. He hadn’t told her about his panic attacks, mostly because he was supposed to be the big brother that protected her. He knew he shouldn’t keep it in, but something told him now was not the right time. Kayla gave him a skeptical look that he knew he deserved.   
“Well, you never know if you don’t try it,” she pointed out. Reggie sighed. He knew she was right. “You should at least think about it, promise?” For a sixth-grader, she had a ton of spunk, he had to give her that.   
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” he promised. Kayla looked up at him with excited eyes. He offered his pinky and they shook, sealing the deal. His sister had already gone down the front path of the middle school before he could even think about taking it back. 

Alex had skipped lunch on the first day in favor of huddling out on the stairwell, but he was starving and didn’t think he could go two days in a row without it. He would have to brave the lunchroom.   
A little shakily, he made his way to the back of the lunch line. The cafeteria was so packed he felt like a sardine in an ocean of fish. He couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not. He kept his eyes forward, tapping out a slow beat with his foot while he waited. He had just gotten into the groove when he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He whipped around, flailing a little bit in surprise.   
“Hey,” the girl behind him in line giggled. She had dark curly hair, piercing blue eyes, and was wearing a cheerleading uniform, basically the standard pretty girl.   
“Uh,” he squeaked, wincing at the high pitch. He cleared his voice. “Hey,” he replied, his voice now at a comfortable octave.   
“I’m Annie,” she flashed a bright white grin that basically screamed, “my daddy is a dentist”.   
“Alex,” he grinned shyly. He wasn’t sure why this popular girl was talking to him. He was wearing a big grandma sweater and glasses that took up his face after all. He held out his hand for her to shake to be polite, but immediately dropped it when she looked at him with confusion. He cleared his throat and tried not to shrink as she looked him up and down.   
“Omg, do you play the drums,” she gasped when she saw the sticks poking out of his jean pocket. He nodded and she leaned forward to put her arms on his shoulders. She had to stand on her tiptoes because of course Alex had to be so much taller than all of his classmates. She met his gaze intensely and Alex tried not to gulp. “I was just wondering if you were planning on going to the football game on Friday?” she asked as the line moved forward. Alex almost backed all the way into the person in front of him, but he was glad for an excuse to escape her grasp.   
“Umm, maybe?” he answered flusteredly, even though he had no intentions of it. Annie smirked and started twirling her hair.   
“Well, I hope to see you there,” she murmured. She grabbed his arm and held it as she stared into his eyes for a moment. She gave a wink before letting go and disappearing back into the crowd as if she had never even been in line.   
Alex turned back around, his face growing pink. If anything, that interaction had just proved something that had been brewing in the back of his head all summer: He didn’t think he felt what he was supposed to feel about girls. His brothers talked about how hot women were all the time but he just felt… numb. If he wasn’t even attracted to the prettiest cheerleader in school, that must be a sign. His stomach lumped into hard knots but he tried not to let it show on his face.   
When he finally got his food and turned around, he met a familiar gaze and his chest went all fluttery like it should have 5 minutes ago. Luke waved to him from across the room in tight black jeans and a blue vest with that lazy smile of his. Alex wanted to retreat but he beckoned him over. With shaky legs and a dry throat, the drummer made his way across the cafeteria. 

Luke sat on one of the round cafeteria tables, his sneakered feet on the bench. He had been up all night thinking about the band, and he couldn’t wait until after school to talk to the guys about it.   
Luckily, he caught Alex’s gaze as he was stepping out of line. He saw the blond boy’s eyes go wide and he smiled softly to himself. Why was he being so shy? Luke waved him over and he saw him make his way towards him nervously.   
“You good man?” he asked Alex, placing his hand on his shoulder.   
“What?” Alex gulped and looked up from the floor.   
“I mean… you just look a little flustered…” Luke clarified.   
“Oh… uh…” Alex stepped back a little. Before he could say anymore, the third party in their trio swooped in to save him.   
“Did you guys know it’s PIZZA day?” Reggie asked excitedly, slamming his tray down on the table.   
“No,” Alex moaned sadly. They all looked down at his sad hot dog and started laughing.   
“Is that mustard and relish?” Reggie asked.   
“You literally put the two worst condiments on it,” Luke teased, nudging Alex in the shoulder.   
“Hey,” Alex huffed, but he couldn’t hide his smirk as he lowered himself down between the other two boys.   
“So….” Luke started, finally getting into the subject they were all there for. “About the band-” He swung himself off the table and plopped himself in the seat across from Reggie.   
“I… kinda want to do it,” Alex admitted at the same time Reggie said, “I’m not so sure about this.” They looked at each other in surprise, clearly not on the same wavelength.   
“You wanna join?” Reggie asked.   
“You don’t want to?” Alex shot back. Luke’s head bounced between the two of them like a basketball.   
“I….” the bassist paused for a long moment. “I don’t really like the idea of performing in front of others.”   
“Is that the only reason?” Luke asked. Reggie and Alex looked at him with confusion.   
“That seems like kind of a big reason,” Alex pointed out sympathetically.   
“C’mon,” Luke sighed, leaning in towards them. “When we were playing together, that was like….magic.” The other boys had to nod in agreement. “It can’t hurt to try,” Luke smirked at them pleadingly, and Alex rolled his eyes.   
“Okay,” Reggie gasped. He spat the words out before he could regret it, surprising even himself. Luke and Alex beamed excitedly at him. “As long as I don’t have to sing.”   
“Okay,” Luke asked. “We have a deal?” He stuck his hand in the middle of the table, his eyes darting between his lunch companions. Alex placed his palm on top, followed hesitantly by Reggie. “Bandmates on 3! 1….2….3…..”   
“Bandmates!” they all cheered, throwing their hands up in the air. They were all excited to return to their food after that, but that was okay because they had many more meals together to come. None of them ever ate lunch alone again.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I really hope you like it. 
> 
> I'm including some experiences (absentee parents, anxiety and panic attacks, and ADHD) that are not my own, and I'm going to try to do my best to represent them well but please don't be afraid let me know if I need to change anything. I'd love your input if it can make it more authentic and helpful and accurate. Thank you <3


End file.
